Egypt prosecutor to appeal Mubarak trial verdicts

By HAMZA HENDAWIAssociated Press

Egypt's top prosecutor is appealing the verdicts in the trial of Egypt's ousted president and others, acquitting Hosni Mubarak and his two sons on corruption charges and clearing senior police officers of complicity in killing protesters, an official said on Sunday.

Under Egyptian law, the prosecutor must appeal the entire verdict, which also included convictions and life sentences for Mubarak and his former security chief for failing to stop the killing of protesters in the uprising that ousted him last year.

Six top police commanders, who faced the same charge of complicity in killing protesters, were acquitted for what the judge said was lack of concrete evidence.

The official, who is at the prosecutor's office, spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters.

The verdicts triggered a wave of street protests on Saturday. Tens of thousands took to the streets in Cairo and elsewhere in Egypt. They chanted slogans against the generals who took over from Mubarak when the popular uprising forced him to step down 15 months ago.

The demonstrations also touched on the runoff election this month for a president to replace Mubarak, pitting Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Morsi against Ahmed Shafiq, who was Mubarak's last prime minister.

Some demonstrators tore billboards bearing the image of Shafiq, who, like his mentor Mubarak, was a career air force officer.